Chess words · Intermediate

The words that make the commentary make sense. They build on the beginner words.

I · Intermediate · 19 words · Step 2 of 2

Basic objective and key terms

Dead position

A position in which neither player can checkmate the opponent's king by any series of legal moves, for example king against king. The game is drawn at once.

Competitive and rating terms

Flag fall

When a player's time runs out before they complete the required moves, they lose the game. If the opponent could not checkmate by any series of legal moves, the game is a draw.

Strategic terms

Zugzwang

A situation where a player would prefer not to move at all, since any legal move worsens their position.

Zwischenzug

An unexpected in between move played instead of an obvious recapture, often changing the evaluation of a sequence.

Outpost

A strong, protected square for a piece, usually a knight, that the opponent cannot easily challenge.

Passed pawn

A pawn with no opposing pawns able to stop its advance toward promotion.

Weak square

A square that can't easily be defended by pawns, often exploited by the opponent's pieces.

Overloading

Exploiting a piece that is defending too many things at once, forcing it to fail at one of its jobs.

Opening and structure terms

Development

Getting pieces off their starting squares and into active positions early in the game.

Gambit

An opening where a player deliberately sacrifices material, usually a pawn, for faster development or attacking chances.

Pawn structure

The overall arrangement of pawns on the board, which shapes long term strategy.

Isolated pawn

A pawn with no friendly pawns on either adjacent file, making it harder to defend.

Fianchetto

Developing a bishop onto a long diagonal by moving it to a square just beside the knight's starting position.

Competitive terms

Adjournment

An older practice of pausing a long game to resume later, rarely used in modern competition due to computer analysis concerns.

Time pressure

A situation where a player has very little time left on the clock and must move quickly.

Also called: zeitnot

Increment

Extra time added to a player's clock after each move, used in many modern time controls.

Swiss system

A tournament format pairing players with similar scores against each other over several rounds, without full elimination.

Engine analysis

Using chess playing software to evaluate positions and check for the objectively best moves after a game.

Illegal move

A completed illegal move gives the opponent two extra minutes the first time. A second illegal move by the same player loses the game, unless the opponent could not checkmate by any series of legal moves, which makes it a draw.